Springbok Antidorcas marsupialis, commonly known as Springbok, is the national animal of South Africa. It is the largest herd of mammals seen in the world, as it can be found in numbers up to 250,000. They are least concern on conservation status, meaning they are not indanger, and are less likely to be extint.
Scientific Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Artiodactyla
Family
Bovidae
Subfamily
Antilopinae
Genus
Antidorcas Sundevall, 1847
Species
A. Marsupialis
Habitat Springbok can be found in the central and western parts of South Africa, where it is dry and full of open plains. As a desert animal, one of springbok's most preferred place to live is Kalahari desert, where even there might not be alot of open water, they are able to survive without drinking open water. Springboks are not only found in Kalahari Desert, they are also found in other places in central and western parts of South Africa, such as Namib Desert.
Short grass savannah, dry river beds, anywhere where it's dry open land are where the Springbok prefers to live at, as it allows them to spot predators in long distances and move around and run away easily. They tends to avoid long grass, which will disable their abilities to see predators from a distance and slow down their ability to run fast. But at the first few days of newborns, the ewes (female springbok) hides them in long grass to avoid predators.
Springbok ranges in Namibia and South Africa, where Namibia has the driest climate in the whole Africa. With the average temperture of 23 degrees during summer in Namibia, the average temperture drops down to 13 degree during winter. South Africa has a similar average temperture as Namibia as they are just next to each other. With this type of temperture, a coat of short fur are just enough for springbok.
Living in a place without much open water, Springbok are herbivores, which means that they eat plants only, and not meat. The main source of food for sprinbok are grass, but they also look around bushes, eating it's leave during winter and other small plants. The reason that springbok can go for long periods without open water is because they eat plants before dawn, which is when it holds the highest water content. Also, they dig for tubers and roots for water when they need to. Which is why, places such as Kalahari Dessert, where there isnt much open water, is a place springbok pefers to live at, as its open area gives the springbok space to run.
In the habitiat where Springbok lives, its predators includes leopard, lion, cheetah and even wild dogs, and at open areas where springbok lives, it is hard to hide. Which is why Springbok was one of the largest herd of mammels ever seen. One of the methods for protection are numbers, and as the largest herd of mammals in the world, when one sees a predator, it warns the whole herd with its famous pronking, and the whole herd runs at a speed up to 80 to 90km/h, which outruns most of its predators.
Adaptions
Behavioural Pronking (Behavioural 1)
Springbok is known for its special jump, known as pronking, and the Afrikaans word "pronk" means to show off. Springbok can pronk/jump up to 3.5m far, where they jump up into the air, head pointing down, with its hooves touching the others, back arched and the flap extened, opening like a fan. Once a springbok starts pronking, the rest of the springbok in the herd will start to pronk too. Pronking usually happenes when they are scared, such as when a predictor is spot, or during mating season.
How it helps
Springbok is known for its special jump, known as pronking, and the Afrikaans word “pronk” means to show off. They could leap up to 3.5m far, where they jump up into the air, head pointing down, with its hooves touching each other, back arched and the flap extended, opening like a fan. Once a springbok starts pronking, the rest of the springbok in the herd will start to pronks too. Pronking usually happens when they are scared, such as when a predictor is spot, or during the mating seasons.
It’s pronks are believed to some others as to show its strength to predators, making the predators to attack some weaker animals then itself. And also, when they pronk, it is belived that there is a hormone that is realease during pronkings, which when the predator chases it away, it can always find its place again.
Environmental pressure
A environmental pressure that could have given rise to this pronking behaviour might be “survival of the fittest”, as pronking is used to scare the predators away, and since it is successful, ones that can pronk are able to pass its genes down, leaving us with springbok that pronks.
Breeding (Bahavioural 2)
With the lifespan of 7 to 10 years, springbok are polygamous, meaning they usually have more than one mate, living in a herd with a few territorial rams (male Springbok), lots of ewes (Female springbok) and some young springboks. Other rams, that are younger, older, injured or have other problems wanders together in a herd to find mates during mating season, but are less likely to be able to find a mate, as they have a lower status in reproduction than the territorial rams.
When a Ram meets a mate, it pronks, lifting the flap on his back, causing the hair under the tail to turn into a fan shape, attracting the ewe's attention. Just like lambs, springbok ususally mates early in the dry season, which allows them to give birth at the beginings of the rainy season, around October to December. Usually, a ewe gives birth to one young, but in rare occasions, it can give birth to two. Since newborn springbok are unable to run fast, they are easy targets for the predators such as eagles and Jackals, which is why, the mother springbok hides the newborn in bushes or long grasses for the first few days. Then later after birth, the ewes leave the herd, bring its young with them and forms a nursery herd with other ewes. The young springbok can start eating grasses at 2 weeks old, then can travel with the whole herd at 4 weeks old, and after 2 more months, they stop depending on it's mother. Then, springbok reaches to maturity at around 400 days old, which is around 1 and a half years old, which then can start reproduce new springboks.
Environmental pressure
An environmental pressure that might have cause springbok to mate with the territorial rams insted of other younger/older/injured/ have problem rams might be because territorial rams are stronger, as they fought and won for its place, and the fittest gets to past their gene down the generation.
Another enviromental pressure that might have cause springbok as a polygamous might be because springboks usually just give birth to one young, which if they only mate with one, there would be less and less springboks. And if they are polygamous, there are more youngs born with gene from a strong springbok. And living in a habitat where springbok lives, the more the better.
Structural Horns (Structural 1)
Like other antelope animals, springbok has a pair of horns at a S shape. On average, springbok, both males and female, has horns at length aroudn 35cm. The male springbok (Known as rams) have thichker and larger horns thn female springbok (ewes), but ewes have longer and frail horns. Rings on the horns of older springbok are normally smoothen or broken, as it is assume that the ram spends it's life time defending and protecting.
How it helps
Their horns are not made out of bones, and isn't use much against another species. Insted, they uses it to fight each other, more fiercely and often than other antelope types. Springbok fights are ususally seen when the rams create it's territories. As they fight, they crash against each other's horns, locking it wiht its own, then wrestles and pulls, making the other loses its balance. Springbok also use their horns to trash and pick up vegetations, marking its place. The rings on the horns makes it easier to lock horn together, minimizing the risk of getting hurt.
Environmental pressure
An environmental pressure that might have caused this structure adaption could have been to gain territories or mates, as bigger and stronger the horn is, the most likely to win in a match for a territory or during mating season. And as "survival of the fittest", they get to mate and pass its gene to the next generations.
How it helps Just like all other antelope animals, springbok has 2 pairs of legs, Front and back legs. Known for its speed and jumping powers, Springbok’s legs are long with powerful muscles that provide them to run at speed 80 to 90km/h, which outruns many of its predators and leap as far as 3.5m and long jump as far as 15m. Although ewes (female springbok) have slightly thinner legs than rams (male springbok), they are still powerful like the ram’s legs.
Not only do springbok’s legs allow them to run fast and jump far, they also use their front legs to dig for roots and other food when they need. One of the reason why springbok runs fast is because they run low, where their bodies stretch out, like a blesbok.
Environmental pressure An environmental pressure that might have caused springbok’s long legs are the competitive between different animals in a habitat where the major predictors are lion, Hyena, cheetahs and others. As the rule “survival of the fittest”, the animal that can run fastest are more likely to survive, and springbok’s long legs allows them to run fast and outrun most of its predictors, which then past down the gene to the next generation.
Physiological
Body Temperature
Springbok is a warm blooded (homeothermy ) animal, which has a body temperature that changes a lot during a day. No matter what season it is, whether it is -6 degree or 34 degrees, Springbok’s body temperature never rises or falls more than 1.2 degrees. Researchers have discovered that the changes in Springbok’s body temperature have little to no connection with the outside temperature. This helps springbok to save water as if their body temperature heats up along with the outside temperature, water would be lost by sweating and other ways.
Environment pressure
An environment pressure that might have caused this body temperature adaption might be because of the area Springbok lives in. Springbok lives in a habitat where it is hot, dry and with little open water, it would be trouble if Springbok loses water due to sweating.
Skin colour
Springbok has about 3 main colour on its skin, light brown, white and dark brown. Its face, front of its neck, bottom and the insides of the limbs are all white, whil the outsides, such as the back, the outside of the limb, the back of the neck, back of the head, are light brown. A strip of dark brown seperates the light brown from the white, which goes along from the shoulder to the flack of the springbok.
Springbok's colour helps to hide itself within dry open areas like the Kalahari deserts, as the deserts have similar colours to it, where springbok slightly camouflage in and doesn't stands out from the backgroud. As the colour helps break down springbok's outline, it hides itself from the predictors.
Enviromental pressure
An enviromental pressure that might have caused this adaption might be because the springbok lives in open plains where it is hard to hide, which is why, in order to hide, the skin colour developed into a colour that helps hide itself within open plains. And ones that have skin colours that might stand out are less likely to survive, which the skin colour that hides itself within the plains, are more likely to survive and pass down its gene.
Springbok
Antidorcas marsupialis, commonly known as Springbok, is the national animal of South Africa. It is the largest herd of mammals seen in the world, as it can be found in numbers up to 250,000. They are least concern on conservation status, meaning they are not indanger, and are less likely to be extint.
Scientific Classification
Habitat
Springbok can be found in the central and western parts of South Africa, where it is dry and full of open plains. As a desert animal, one of springbok's most preferred place to live is Kalahari desert, where even there might not be alot of open water, they are able to survive without drinking open water. Springboks are not only found in Kalahari Desert, they are also found in other places in central and western parts of South Africa, such as Namib Desert.
Short grass savannah, dry river beds, anywhere where it's dry open land are where the Springbok prefers to live at, as it allows them to spot predators in long distances and move around and run away easily. They tends to avoid long grass, which will disable their abilities to see predators from a distance and slow down their ability to run fast. But at the first few days of newborns, the ewes (female springbok) hides them in long grass to avoid predators.
Springbok ranges in Namibia and South Africa, where Namibia has the driest climate in the whole Africa. With the average temperture of 23 degrees during summer in Namibia, the average temperture drops down to 13 degree during winter. South Africa has a similar average temperture as Namibia as they are just next to each other. With this type of temperture, a coat of short fur are just enough for springbok.
Living in a place without much open water, Springbok are herbivores, which means that they eat plants only, and not meat. The main source of food for sprinbok are grass, but they also look around bushes, eating it's leave during winter and other small plants. The reason that springbok can go for long periods without open water is because they eat plants before dawn, which is when it holds the highest water content. Also, they dig for tubers and roots for water when they need to. Which is why, places such as Kalahari Dessert, where there isnt much open water, is a place springbok pefers to live at, as its open area gives the springbok space to run.
Adaptions
Behavioural
Pronking (Behavioural 1)
Springbok is known for its special jump, known as pronking, and the Afrikaans word "pronk" means to show off. Springbok can pronk/jump up to 3.5m far, where they jump up into the air, head pointing down, with its hooves touching the others, back arched and the flap extened, opening like a fan. Once a springbok starts pronking, the rest of the springbok in the herd will start to pronk too. Pronking usually happenes when they are scared, such as when a predictor is spot, or during mating season.
How it helps
Springbok is known for its special jump, known as pronking, and the Afrikaans word “pronk” means to show off. They could leap up to 3.5m far, where they jump up into the air, head pointing down, with its hooves touching each other, back arched and the flap extended, opening like a fan. Once a springbok starts pronking, the rest of the springbok in the herd will start to pronks too. Pronking usually happens when they are scared, such as when a predictor is spot, or during the mating seasons.
It’s pronks are believed to some others as to show its strength to predators, making the predators to attack some weaker animals then itself. And also, when they pronk, it is belived that there is a hormone that is realease during pronkings, which when the predator chases it away, it can always find its place again.
Environmental pressure
A environmental pressure that could have given rise to this pronking behaviour might be “survival of the fittest”, as pronking is used to scare the predators away, and since it is successful, ones that can pronk are able to pass its genes down, leaving us with springbok that pronks.
Breeding (Bahavioural 2)
With the lifespan of 7 to 10 years, springbok are polygamous, meaning they usually have more than one mate, living in a herd with a few territorial rams (male Springbok), lots of ewes (Female springbok) and some young springboks. Other rams, that are younger, older, injured or have other problems wanders together in a herd to find mates during mating season, but are less likely to be able to find a mate, as they have a lower status in reproduction than the territorial rams.
When a Ram meets a mate, it pronks, lifting the flap on his back, causing the hair under the tail to turn into a fan shape, attracting the ewe's attention. Just like lambs, springbok ususally mates early in the dry season, which allows them to give birth at the beginings of the rainy season, around October to December. Usually, a ewe gives birth to one young, but in rare occasions, it can give birth to two. Since newborn springbok are unable to run fast, they are easy targets for the predators such as eagles and Jackals, which is why, the mother springbok hides the newborn in bushes or long grasses for the first few days. Then later after birth, the ewes leave the herd, bring its young with them and forms a nursery herd with other ewes. The young springbok can start eating grasses at 2 weeks old, then can travel with the whole herd at 4 weeks old, and after 2 more months, they stop depending on it's mother. Then, springbok reaches to maturity at around 400 days old, which is around 1 and a half years old, which then can start reproduce new springboks.
Environmental pressure
An environmental pressure that might have cause springbok to mate with the territorial rams insted of other younger/older/injured/ have problem rams might be because territorial rams are stronger, as they fought and won for its place, and the fittest gets to past their gene down the generation.
Another enviromental pressure that might have cause springbok as a polygamous might be because springboks usually just give birth to one young, which if they only mate with one, there would be less and less springboks. And if they are polygamous, there are more youngs born with gene from a strong springbok. And living in a habitat where springbok lives, the more the better.
Structural
Horns (Structural 1)
Like other antelope animals, springbok has a pair of horns at a S shape. On average, springbok, both males and female, has horns at length aroudn 35cm. The male springbok (Known as rams) have thichker and larger horns thn female springbok (ewes), but ewes have longer and frail horns. Rings on the horns of older springbok are normally smoothen or broken, as it is assume that the ram spends it's life time defending and protecting.
How it helps
Their horns are not made out of bones, and isn't use much against another species. Insted, they uses it to fight each other, more fiercely and often than other antelope types. Springbok fights are ususally seen when the rams create it's territories. As they fight, they crash against each other's horns, locking it wiht its own, then wrestles and pulls, making the other loses its balance. Springbok also use their horns to trash and pick up vegetations, marking its place. The rings on the horns makes it easier to lock horn together, minimizing the risk of getting hurt.
Environmental pressure
An environmental pressure that might have caused this structure adaption could have been to gain territories or mates, as bigger and stronger the horn is, the most likely to win in a match for a territory or during mating season. And as "survival of the fittest", they get to mate and pass its gene to the next generations.
Legs (Structural 2)
Just like all other antelope animals, springbok has 2 pairs of legs, Front and back legs. Known for its speed and jumping powers, Springbok’s legs are long with powerful muscles that provide them to run at speed 80 to 90km/h, which outruns many of its predators and leap as far as 3.5m and long jump as far as 15m. Although ewes (female springbok) have slightly thinner legs than rams (male springbok), they are still powerful like the ram’s legs.
Not only do springbok’s legs allow them to run fast and jump far, they also use their front legs to dig for roots and other food when they need. One of the reason why springbok runs fast is because they run low, where their bodies stretch out, like a blesbok.
Environmental pressure
An environmental pressure that might have caused springbok’s long legs are the competitive between different animals in a habitat where the major predictors are lion, Hyena, cheetahs and others. As the rule “survival of the fittest”, the animal that can run fastest are more likely to survive, and springbok’s long legs allows them to run fast and outrun most of its predictors, which then past down the gene to the next generation.
Physiological
Body Temperature
Springbok is a warm blooded (homeothermy ) animal, which has a body temperature that changes a lot during a day. No matter what season it is, whether it is -6 degree or 34 degrees, Springbok’s body temperature never rises or falls more than 1.2 degrees. Researchers have discovered that the changes in Springbok’s body temperature have little to no connection with the outside temperature. This helps springbok to save water as if their body temperature heats up along with the outside temperature, water would be lost by sweating and other ways.
Environment pressure
An environment pressure that might have caused this body temperature adaption might be because of the area Springbok lives in. Springbok lives in a habitat where it is hot, dry and with little open water, it would be trouble if Springbok loses water due to sweating.
Skin colour
Springbok has about 3 main colour on its skin, light brown, white and dark brown. Its face, front of its neck, bottom and the insides of the limbs are all white, whil the outsides, such as the back, the outside of the limb, the back of the neck, back of the head, are light brown. A strip of dark brown seperates the light brown from the white, which goes along from the shoulder to the flack of the springbok.
Springbok's colour helps to hide itself within dry open areas like the Kalahari deserts, as the deserts have similar colours to it, where springbok slightly camouflage in and doesn't stands out from the backgroud. As the colour helps break down springbok's outline, it hides itself from the predictors.
Enviromental pressure
An enviromental pressure that might have caused this adaption might be because the springbok lives in open plains where it is hard to hide, which is why, in order to hide, the skin colour developed into a colour that helps hide itself within open plains. And ones that have skin colours that might stand out are less likely to survive, which the skin colour that hides itself within the plains, are more likely to survive and pass down its gene.
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